James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart probably won’t share the screen in X-Men: Days of Future Past

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Bryan Singer is preparing an increasingly large ensemble for X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, which will basically be an X-MEN character orgy. Melding casts from the X-MEN trilogy with the younger crew from Matthew Vaughn‘s X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, the forthcoming adventure will attempt to be the ultimate example of superhero synergy. (No easy feat, of course.)

The time-travel element inherent in the story has begged the question: just how close will our beloved mutants get to their past/future selves? It’s a staple of time-travel stories to have a character bump into himself (or herself) in a different era, but if it indeed happens in the latest X-MEN, don’t expect that character to be Charles Xavier.

Speaking with Empire (via ComicBookMovie.com), “young” Professor X himself James McAvoy dissuaded the notion that he’ll be sharing the screen with Patrick Stewart anytime soon.

It’ll be cool, but I don’t think we get any scenes together, sadly. I don’t think there’s any future self talking to past self.”

Naturally, just because McAvoy doesn’t “think” it will happen, doesn’t make it so. He could be bluffing, for starters; the folks behind this movie aren’t likely to spill too many beans regarding what’s to be expected. There’s also always the possibility that Singer and his team will add in a such a sequence. Scripts change all the time, after all.

As an aside, McAvoy was quite candid in the interview regarding his attitude toward starring in lower-profile films when he’s not playing Professor X.

Having an X-Men in your back pocket, which hopefully will go for three movies, it makes you go, ‘Right, it doesn’t matter if I make 14 films that nobody sees…because in two years’ time I’ll make another X-Men’. Meanwhile, Fox are thinking, ‘Why isn’t this [frick]er out there building his profile so he can make us more money on the second X-Men?’ But that’s their fault for hiring me!”

Ah, I’m sure they’re not blaming themselves, James; they were spot-on. You can help Mr. McAvoy collect his paycheck when X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST opens on July 18, 2014.